symposium

[sim-poh-zee-uhm]

noun

plural

symposiums, symposia 

1. a meeting or conference for the discussion of some subject, especially a meeting at which several speakers talk on or discuss a topic before an audience.

2. a collection of opinions expressed or articles contributed by several persons on a given subject or topic.

3. an account of a discussion meeting or of the conversation at it.

4. (in ancient Greece and Rome) a convivial meeting, usually following a dinner, for drinking and intellectual conversation.

5. (initial capital letter, italics),  a philosophical dialogue (4th century b.c.) by Plato, dealing with ideal love and the vision of absolute beauty.

symposium

/ sɪmˈpəʊzɪəm /

noun

1. a conference or meeting for the discussion of some subject, esp an academic topic or social problem

2. a collection of scholarly contributions, usually published together, on a given subject

3. (in classical Greece) a drinking party with intellectual conversation, music, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of symposium¹

1580–90; < Latin < Greek sympósion drinking party, equivalent to sym- sym- + po- (variant stem of pī́nein to drink) + -sion noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of symposium¹

C16: via Latin from Greek sumposion, from sumpinein to drink together, from sum- _syn- + pinein to drink

Example Sentences

Newsom has been in Brazil since Sunday, beginning with a global climate investors symposium in São Paulo before flying roughly 1,800 miles north to Belém for the United Nations climate summit known as COP30.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Dandridge: “Gyopo’s symposium on the chile took me back to these flavors of my upbringing, and giving me context is like giving me a part of my culture and my heritage.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The event, which has been held in parliament in the past and is billed by the FPOe as a "symposium", drew criticism from Austria's Jewish community and major political parties.

Read more on Barron's

Several AfD politicians announced plans to attend a symposium in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi this week, drawing extensive criticism in Germany given Moscow's hostile relations with the country.

Read more on Barron's

Additionally, she will participate in USC’s forthcoming symposium, where she will discuss women in classical work and the work of composer Julia Perry.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• convention 
• discussion 
• forum 
• meeting 
• panel discussion 
• round table 
• seminar